<img src="http://images.nfl.com/photos/insider/img6011309.jpg" title="Norv Turner" alt="Norv Turner" align="left" height="250" width="166" />The San Diego Chargers are leaning toward a new head coach and it's the man everyone thought was going to be head coach of Dallas.

FOXSports.com has learned that the Chargers are talking to Norv Turner as if they are looking to hire him as their head coach. Sources contend that Turner is leaning toward hiring Ted Cottrell, a long-time defensive NFL coach, to run the Chargers defense. Cottrell worked in the league office this past season but is one of the best minds in the league in running a 3-4 scheme.

Oddly, earlier in the day based off of different information, Rex Ryan appeared to be the leading candidate to get the job. What or if anything happened to change that remains to be seen.

Turner was long assumed to be the man the Jones boys hired to replace Bill Parcells as head coach, but the Cowboys sent Turner back to the Bay without a new job or a new title. That title and job may now come three weeks later in the best city in America to "have to" work in - sunny San Diego.

General Manager A.J. Smith had talks with Turner late this evening, talks that sounded as if Turner was the team's choice. In fact, they even talked contract figures.

Turner was the Chargers offensive coordinator during LaDainian Tomlinson's rookie year and now will be in charge of an offense that needs to find even more ways for Tomlinson to work his magic.

Turner was extremely close to landing the Cowboys gig that eventually went to Wade Phillips, the man Cottrell may replace in San Diego now. When contacted, Turner's current boss Mike Nolan said he had not "heard a thing" from Turner but was hoping to if in fact Turner was their choice.